Easy way to reuse yeast?

[SKYY]

Instead of paying $5+ for a packet of yeast, is it feasible to use the sediment of a secondary fermentation of a beer that used the same yeast required by the beer that you're trying to brew?

For example: I have an IPA that's done with it's secondary fermentation. It's ready for bottling, so I bottled it. Instead of flushing the stuff down the drain, can I take the sediment from that carboy, swirl it around with some water and sugar, and pour the resulting liquid mixture into a fresh wort of the same recipe?

I would think that this method would be 99.92% likely to succeed in a vigorous fermentation of the new beer. However, I take my beers very seriously, thus I am asking the brewing forum for its advice.

 

[Weezy]

You can absolutely harvest and reuse yeast. You can directly pitch onto the yeast cake of the first batches' primary fermentation, which is a common practice for stepping up the gravity of beers where the first batch on the yeast is a low gravity beer and then pitch a high gravity beer onto the big yeast cake (you've essentially made a full size starter), or you can wash the yeast first (don't add sugar. Read up on 'washing' yeast). There is a ton of good info on the web and this site on how to do it.

http://billybrew.com/yeast-washing


Although, I must point out that you mention "secondary" fermentation. I'm not certain if you mean a true secondary, where the beer has sat on the yeast for an extended period of time after primary fermentation was complete. Yeast from a secondary fermentation may not be as viable and healthy. If you're racking to a separate container for secondary fermentation, collect & wash the yeast out of the primary vessel. I suspect you're not actually using a secondary ferm container though?

 

[RM-MN]

First, you don't really want to take the yeast from the secondary because they are the least flocculant but the yeast from the primary is great. Second, you don't really need to secondary your IPA so you save a step there and get better yeast. Third, don't tease your yeast by giving them sugar. They come to expect it and don't want to eat the malt sugars because they are harder for them to digest. Fourth, if you take the yeast from the primary and use all of it for the next batch you will be overpitching. There will be enough yeast at the bottom of the primary for about 4 batches.

Now that you have read all that, sure it is feasible to use the yeast that have settled out in your secondary.

 

[rekoob]

Or you could plan to rack out of primary when you are ready to re-fill your primary and then just rack right onto the yeast cake in the primary with your second batch.
I have done this with great results and I know others also have had good results doing this.
If you use a stir plate and want to start a yeast bank to you can always take a few samples of your yeast prior to using it and freeze that for future use.
Plenty of info on reusing yeast and building a yeast bank.
Good luck.

 

[GrogNerd]

there's also a limit on IBUs from the original beer

what makes hops such a good preservative is going to work against you

 

[dyqik]

Or you could plan to rack out of primary when you are ready to re-fill your primary and then just rack right onto the yeast cake in the primary with your second batch.
I have done this with great results and I know others also have had good results doing this.
If you use a stir plate and want to start a yeast bank to you can always take a few samples of your yeast prior to using it and freeze that for future use.
Plenty of info on reusing yeast and building a yeast bank.
Good luck.

Although you may be running a risk of overpitching if you do do this. This is important for some beers where the flavors developed in the yeast growth phase are important, less so in some others. Getting the trub and dead yeast out via rinsing is usually a good idea too. That doesn't mean that it can't work well though.

 

[Calder]

Yes, you can re-use the yeast from the secondary, and the only difference you will probably see is that the beer takes off quicker.

When taking yeast from the secondary, you are selecting yeast cells with certain properties. If done multiple times, you will end up with a different yeast than the original strain. Re-use after one pitch; you will not notice any difference.

Primary yeast is better to use. Generally use about a quarter of the cake for the same gravity beer, and half the cake for one that is 2X the OG. You do not have to wash the yeast you take from the primary if you use it in a reasonable time. There are advantages to washing the yeast, but it is not absolutely necessary in order to make great beer.

Good luck.

...... and how did you calculate 99.92%?

 

[eastoak]

you do not have to wash the yeast at all and for mid gravity beer you'll need 1/4 to 1/2 cup. scoop it right out of the fermentor and dump it in the wort or jar it up and save for later. washing washes out lots of good yeast along with the trub, not point in that.

 

[ucwayne]

OK, This has my interest now!! If I salvage some yeast, and put it in a jar, how long will it keep in the refrigerator? Can I freeze it for later?

 

[HBngNOK]

OK, This has my interest now!! If I salvage some yeast, and put it in a jar, how long will it keep in the refrigerator? Can I freeze it for later?

Yes, read some of the stickies at the beginning of this sub-forum.

 

[duboman]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/entries/yeast-harvesting-novel-approach.html
This is how I do it and it works great!

 

[GrogNerd]

I like to call it yeast wrangling

 

[SKYY]

Hehe. Using weird fonts doesn't make your post important.